-Malonga’s improvements to his offensive skillset were noticeable throughout the season as a wing that continues to grow every few months. Malonga improved his handle to react quickly to defensive stunts at the ball to cut down on turnovers and gets into his jumper much more fluidly off the catch or pivot to create better finishing angles in the paint. He used his athleticism more frequently to clean up teammates’ rotational mistakes with emphatic blocked shots both around the basket and on the perimeter as a dynamic defender that has picked up his pace as the game slows down for him. While his best basketball is still ahead of him, college coaches should continue to ramp up their interest as he returns to a Team Thrill group that will look to build on their 16u championship run.

One of the higher-upside prospects across the DMV, Malonga has started coming into his own this winter with an increased workload in his new home at West Nottingham. A transfer from Mt. Zion Prep (MD) and native of France, Malonga oozes potential with an enticing blend of size, athleticism, and skill on the perimeter. He has the ball skills to create for himself and teammates along with the fluidity and explosiveness to wreak havoc filling lanes in transition. His shot has also continued coming around to help make him a more viable off-ball threat in the halfcourt. With high-level bloodlines and still relatively little in-game experience stateside, Malonga has the makings of a prospect with significant room left for growth, even as he already starts turning potential into production with increasing consistency.

Malonga is another versatile hybrid forward in this class with an intriguing long-term ceiling giving his budding skillset combined with a long, athletic frame. He’s shown progression in various areas of his game including his face-up attack from the perimeter or in the mid-range. He poses as an elite lob threat both in transition or designated half court sets. His physical makeup makes way for a defender who can slide down multiple positions while keeping his man in front, battling on the block with leverage and maintaining his presence on the glass.

-Malonga continues his steady climb in our rankings with some improved perimeter skills shown this fall. Malonga is finding opportunities to move off the ball to create easy baskets with backdoor cuts but is also creating his own shot at a much higher level outside of the paint with stepback and sidestep 3s finding their way through the bottom of the net. His upside defensively is also starting to come to fruition as he has become a more active shot-blocker both on and off the ball. If he can continue to sharpen the handle to keep up with his strides to the rim, I think he can add in a play-making dimension to his game.

Looking at the 2027 MD/DC class as a whole, you can’t name off many prospects in terms of potential and upside before getting to Malonga. At West Nottingham, he’s operating on the ball more than I’ve ever seen him and the results have been pleasing. Even in ball screen actions as the initiator this weekend, the 6-foot-6 hybrid forward delivered crisp passes to the rolling big man after manipulating the defense with his eyes. His jumper is getting off with cleaner mechanics, his burst out with his first step is quicker, and he’s becoming more confident in himself finishing through contact while airborne. The overall movement of Malonga is becoming more fluid and sure of himself. Continuing to round out his game offensively and become a defensive menace with his God given intangibles will be the ultimate measuring stick for where he ends up.

20p 5r 2a 1b vs Westtown; 23p 9r 3s 3b  8/11 FG vs Bonner Prendie

-Malonga had the best stretch I’ve seen him play in 1-point wins over Bonner Prendie and Westtown that both saw him hit big FTs. Malonga is moving much better off the ball to get him easy baskets off of off-ball cuts, hit face up and stepback threes, finished several And1 drives to the rim, and was a dynamic shotblocker for the Rams. He has improved his attention to detail at the defensive end of the floor and is seemingly more and more capable of being a dynamic/switchable defender that can plug a lot of holes in a defense. Came away most impressed by how much his handle is improved as he made some plays off the bounce that I hadn’t seen him make before this weekend. Now I just want to see his hip mobility and back foot burst to improve to take advantage of his long strides and size as a slasher. Huge upside here as a longterm prospect but it’s coming together nicely for Malonga in new threads with the Rams

Previous Rank: 30

-Malonga was more prospect than player before this cycle but has turned in more consistent performances with a bigger role and more playing time with Mt. Zion. With his size, athleticism, and growing skillset– Malonga is turning heads as a 2-way wing with some nice long-term upside. The Cameroon native has only been playing basketball for 6 years now and continues to make strides as a wing that is beginning to hit C+S perimeter looks and understand defensive rotations. Definitely has t-5 upside as a player in this class.

DMV Live

-We will continue to beat the drum for Malonga because of the improved athleticism, physical tools, and a growing skillset. Standing at least 6’6/6’7 now, the son of two former pros (and the brother of a WNBA player) should take a big step this season for Mt Zion as an athletic wing that can fill up the stat sheet. He’s a capable finisher above the rim, is developing a feel for when to attack closeouts and when to pop a jumper, and has tremendous defensive upside once he quickens up his foot speed. The upside should tantalize a few coaches into getting involved early for one of the highest upside prospects in the area.

It seems like just a matter of time before Malonga breaks out at least on a regional scale, with the runway left in front of him to potentially make noise nationally despite a quiet winter during his sophomore season. With elite athletic tools for the perimeter, he’s continued to polish his skillset in order to better showcase his above-average two-way instincts over the course of the game. A tighter handle and more comfortable spotup stroke have the French-Cameroonian swingman looking much more effective within a halfcourt structure, while he remains a terror in transition with increasing explosiveness as a finisher around the rim. Malonga has bloodlines at the highest levels of the sport, with his sister having just been taken 2nd in the WNBA Draft, and it shouldn’t be long before he begins generating more steam on the recruiting front in his own right the more he’s allowed to stretch his wings this summer.

-Put on a show at the Hoop Buzz event as an athletic wing prospect with a versatile skillset. The Cameroonian native is a slashing wing that is adding in more perimeter skill as a ball-handler and C+S threat. As his skillset progresses to weave through traffic or create space for his shot, he can eventually provide some self-creation and scoring ability from beyond the arc. His value as a switchable defender that can comfortably guard 2-4 will make him a hot commodity for college coaches.